HATCHING 02: LUUNG CLUTCHES
"We should have organized this better," said Kutoth, frowning. He'd been off world during most of the incubation, for his son's bonding (as disastrous as the event at Shy's laboratories had gone), and then his own at Lantessama, but he should have put someone in charge of sorting out the issue of space with this clutch.
"I've got it, boss," said Ixu, in human form. He rallied his team with a series of sharp orders that sent them winding through the throngs of candidates and ushering them into a wide semi-circle at the base of the outcrop.
:: Will this work? :: asked Kutoth, directing the thought to Kaba and Suka.
Two massive heads peered over the edge of the outcrop. Kaba's thoughts whirled ambivalence and strife, but Suka's were airy light and eager.
"I think so!" said Suka, smiling broadly.
"We'll help the hatchlings down that can't make it on their own," said Kaba, after a long pause. "It won't be long now."
Indeed, the eggs had been rattling for nearly half an hour at this point, the little voices inside a flurry of eager excitement.
"And the audience?" Kutoth cast a glance at the gathering onlookers - both physically and mentally, prodding telepathic fingers over the crowd's mind. He winced at the sight of Shy, accompanied by his usual entourage, with Savas and a flutter of myrmex. After t he opulence and comfort he'd been shown at Shy's labs, the oceanic biodome must have appeared haphazard and unappealing. But, it was here for the dragons' comfort, and for that it served its purpose well. He'd attend to Shy after the hatching.
With Shy's presence here, Janardan was nowhere to be found. Crowd control was really more his thing.
"As long as they stay back a bit, we should be fine," Ixu replied, shrugging. "Hatchlings bond people in the stands for other species, wouldn't be the end of the world here, would it?"
At that, Kaba's nostrils flared wide. She'd been particular about vetting the potential candidates for their clutches.
"Perhaps we'll keep a few of the security staff between the candidates and the visitors, shall we?" said Kutoth.
"Are they hatching yet?" a dark shape darted out from the crowds, twisting around the security staff with ease.
"Iyafu Uko," Kutoth said with mock sternness. "You're going to worry your bond... and the mothers."
The little luung stopped with a pout, winding around to frown at Kutoth. "I just want to watch."
"And watch, you will, but from the back." He tapped Uko on the head. "Hurry on, now."
Uko tromped reluctantly back passed to candidates to seek out his bond.
"They're hatching!" Suka shouted. The sound of shell cracking whipped over the calming ocean song. Suka gasped, and Kutoth felt her shock like a shout. "I... they're twins! Twin girls!"
"A sign of great fortune," said Kaba.
Two tiny hatchlings peeked over the edge of the outcrop, their eyes gleaming luminous green. Indeed, the pair were quite similar, red-brown in color with faces slashed yellow and black. One of the pair scrambled over the edge and made her way down, alternating between careful footsteps and stuttering leaps of wingless flight. She landed in a messy pile of limbs, but popped up without a beat, shaking sand from her egg-slick hide. Her overlarge ears perked as she scanned the crowds.
"Over here!" Uko shouted.
The hatchling bounded forward, darting straight for Erix now that her mind was made up. She took a flying leap at him and he caught her with hastily outstretched arms.
"I'm Oneya Kamii," said the hatchling, laughing. "And you're exactly perfect for me!"
"I am, am I?" Erix replied, grinning.
"I promise I won't be any trouble." She scrunched up one eye in an attempted wink as she spoke. She was very likely going to be loads of trouble.
Having regarded her sister's path down the outcrop, the second twin followed suit, her steps careful and precise, head held high as she descended into the semi-circle of candidates. She'd finished her thinking before she left the nest and turned to Mieka without hesitation. Some of her confidence fizzled as she approached the young ambassador.
"I'm Oneya Izu," she said, "And I'd like to do great things with you."
Mieka dropped decorum for a moment, crouching down to gather Izu in her arms. The hug lasted a breath, then the two separated and headed toward the feeding station with chins high and posture impeccable.
The audible crack of splitting shells shattered from the outcrop, followed by the hungry croons of hatchlings. Kaba drifted down the ledge, cradling a trio of hatchlings in her arms. She deposited them gently on the sand and nudged them forward. The first to leap forward was a bold, dark male, an outlier for either mother - he lacked the bright coloration of the Runike luungs and the thin, intricate patterns of the Oneya. Unperturbed by his unusual appearance - or perhaps ignorant to its significance - the black pastel marched headlong toward Deux, the dwarf.
"I want to fight monsters just like you!" said Oneya Uji. "And maybe when my hair grows out you can braid it, too?"
"Hunting monsters is hard work," said Deux, "Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Absolutely!" Uji slapped his tail down, sweeping sand into the air. "I'm ready to learn!"
A subtly striped golden male was the next to duck out from Kaba's protective embrace. He strolled leisurely by the throngs of candidates, flicking an ear toward them in increments, but his steps were sure and his expression serene with a choice that had already been made. He stopped in front of the graceful kaalkiet, Oolkarti, his smile broadening.
"We already met, but I'm Runike Mori, and it's lovely to finally see you."
"Yes," said Ti, extending her many hands toward the little luung. "It is."
The last of the trio was a solid white male, his scales as pristine as freshly fallen snow. He remained hunkered close to his mother, shivering a little.
"It's all right," said Kaba, nuzzling the little male. "You need to find your bond."
He took a tentative step forward, ears pressed back. His eyes darted between the remaining candidates before pausing on Keelin.
"Oh, sweetheart!" Keelin exclaimed. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them and gathering the little luung in her arms. "You have nothing to worry about, little dear."
"My... my name is Runike Oka. Do you think your family will like me?"
Keelin smiled over her shoulder at her husband and nodded. "They definitely will."
Another hatchling began his descent, pale tan and cream with short, intricate striping along his sides. He eyed the candidates with suspicion, circling many of them before snorting and moving on. Eggs cracked and splintered during his process, but his paid his siblings no mind as he deliberated. He reached the end of the group, turned swiftly, and headed with purpose toward Kadikael.
"You're the right bond for me," said Runike Masa. "I made sure of it."
"You're certain?" Kadikael seemed to lack Masa's confidence in the bond.
"Absolutely," Masa replied.
While Masa took his time on his decision, several young luungs freed themselves from their eggs and began the clumsy descent to the beach in a wave of browns and yellows. One hatchling was significantly larger then the others - a female - red-brown with very little striping. She raced her siblings down the outcrop and rushed toward the candidates, kicking up sand until she sprang, letting her magic carry her a few inches from the ground. Her jaw was set, eyes narrowed, and she flew straight to Sansan, dropping to the ground at her feet and rising up to place her paws on the mage's belly.
"I'm Runike Tana and we need to save your kingdom!"
"We need to find a way back first," said Sansan.
"It'll be an adventure!"
"Ao, no!" Suka shrieked.
Kutoth - and many of the onlookers - stared up in horror as a little yellow-brown male threw himself from the top of the outcrop. He twisted elegantly in the air for a moment, holding himself aloft by sheer force of will, but his magic was new and weak, and after a second's pause he began to plummet.
Kutoth flung a hand out, calling on his reserves of power-
A bright green flash darted passed him and scooped the hatchling from the air.
Tak'Inokoiz cradled their bond with a stern look. "That was very foolish."
Oneya Ao squirmed in their arms. "I just wanted to look cool! I can do it!"
"With some practice I'm certain you'll be amazing." Tak landed lightly near the feeding station.
"I'm amazing right now!" Ao chided.
"Careful steps, gotta put my toes down just right. Oh no, not there, that's a loose rock I think, I gotta..." a pale, subtly marked hatchling made his way toward the sand mumbling directions under his breath with each footfall, the tip of his pink tongue poking out the corner of his mouth. His face scrunched in concentration, he appeared almost surprised when his feet finally hit the beach. He looked up, startled, ears perked as he examined the candidates.
"No, no, that one's not quite right for me, I think I need someone... someone like... ah ha!" Decision made, the little luung wound through the dwindling throng of candidates and stopped primly at Sel's feet. "I'm Runike Nobu and you're my clan now."
Sel seemed at a loss for words, carefully considering his response before replying: "We're family."
It wasn't a question, but Nobu nodded vigorously. "Forever and ever, I think. We'll be very good at it."
"Kaba!" Suka shouted, curling over the outcrop with twisting whiskers, vibrating with excitement. "You've hatched twins as well!"
Kaba preened and took off from the beach, floating gracefully over the nest. She scooped something small and pale from the crags, mumbling quiet purrs of encouragement, and deposited a pair of creamy white males in the sand below. The twins curled around each other, eyes huge and unblinking as they regarded the candidates. The first extracted himself quickly, wriggling from his mothers grip with an expression of utter disdain at being held back at all.
His white hide was warm as bleached gold and he strutted across the sand with his blunt snout held high, marching with determination toward a small group of humans. All his focus was taxed with looking proud. He didn't spot the piece of driftwood laying across his path until he'd already stumbled into it. He fell with a gawk, eyes snapped wide.
Kwamu rushed away from his friends and helped the hatchling to his feet, brushing bits of sand from his egg-slick hide. "There you are, young one."
Runike Sai wrinkled his nose in dismay. "I wanted to form a good first impression."
"And you did!" said Kwami, laughing. "No one would expect someone so young to keep their feet about them. We'll work on that."
Sai lifted his head, proud again. "Alright."
The second twin, colored like old parchment, watched with wary eyes before sidling out from his mother's protective grip. He pondered over a few of the remaining candidates standing at the forefront, but quickly turned and wound his way toward Kutoth's towering form, settling comfortably at the old murdon's feet.
"You already have a bond," said the hatchling.
The gem dragon around Kutoth's shoulders coiled tighter, and Kutoth ran a soothing hand down his spine. "I do."
"And now you have two. I'm Runike Yuand you're Runike Kutoth from here on out."
Kutoth smiled and stroked the little luung's brow. "As promised."
A little-gold brown male careened down the outcrop, his striking dark markings an indecipherable blur as he rushed toward the candidates. "Outta my way!" he shouted, snapping his tiny baby-teeth at candidates' shins as he wiggled through them to find his bond. Rather than stopping, the hatchling rammed his head into Jimi's knees, then flexed his head back to grin up at the karkadann anthro.
"I'm Oneya Nomu and we're gonna be the best team." Nomu wiggled and circled around his new bond. "I hope you brought your guitar with you."
"You're going to be a handful," said Jimi with a frown.
"Nothing you can't handle," Keelin, his mate, said, muffling a giggle behind her hand.
A pale brown female peered over the outcrop, her ears perked and swiveling. She descended with cautious grace, careful of her foot placements, but before she reached the warm beach sand, she twisted around the outcrop and dove for the water. Kaba lurched forward with a cry, ready to rescue her offspring, but the little female popped up a moment later and tread quickly to the beach, her hide glistening and clean. Sparkling under the artificial sun, she bound forward toward her chosen.
"I wanted to make sure I looked my best," she said as she reached Cheegre Inia. "I hope I didn't frighten you!"
"Only a little," said Inia, bending down to wrap her tentacles around the hatchling. "You're so pretty!"
"Not as pretty as you! I'm Runike Aka and you're definitely the very best candidate here. I'm so lucky I found you! Thank-you for sharing the sunshine with me."
"That was you?"
Aka nodded vigorously.
Suka gasped audibly. The crowd, and Kaba, quieted as the young mother ducked out of sight. She reappeared moments later carrying two near identical males. "Another set of twins!"
"Auspicious," Kaba said with an admiring nod. "The Refugium has done our species well."
Suka set the two males gently on the sand, where they tumbled over one another before waddling apart and examining the remaining candidates.
"I know who I want!" shouted the twin with the cleanest yellow stripe down his back. He kicked at his sibling before taking off straight toward Syneva. He slowed to a more polite pace as he neared her, then wound himself around her ankles like a pleased cat. "I'm Oneya Shi, and I can't wait to see your world!"
"It's very different from this one," said Syneva. She bent to gather Shi in her arms.
Shi wiggled contentedly. "I don't mind. I really want to meet your family too! Mama Suka said you have children and I'd really like to play with them, I've been thinking up games while I was in my egg."
The second twin was quick behind his brother, shooting the other luung a scowl as he shook sand from his nose. He harrumphed as he strode toward the candidates, disregarding the hopeful stares of the remaining few as he marched toward Hewlitt. His path was blocked by an excited whir of white as the man's dodrian bounced forward to greet the dragon.
"Artax!" Hewlitt shouted after him. "Artax, heel!"
"It's alright!" Oneya Kane grinned as Artax licked a wide stripe across his face. "I'm gonna have to get used to him now that I'm sticking with you."
Many of the bonded pairs had left the semi-circle and made their way to the feeding station, where fish and fruit were piled high on low tables. A cluster of candidates remained and Kutoth kept his position, watching the rocky outcrop. The clutches had been carefully counted and monitored and there should be one more egg left to hatch.
"Perhaps it needs a little help getting free," he offered, turning to Kaba.
Kaba nodded and sprung off the beach, floating after Suka. The mothers disappeared over the ridge. Kutoth waited, sensing unease and growing panic.
"What's wrong?" Yu craned his neck to stare at him. "What's going on?"
"I'm not-"
Kaba shrieked, rage and pain building in a typhoon of raucous wailing. The clouds darkened overhead, swirling into a torrential mass. Sand and waves swept up and spewed across the beach.
"My egg is gone!" Kaba leapt from the outcrop, her teeth bared, raking her claws through stone. "My child is missing!"
"It was there!" Suka landed behind Kaba, worry etched in every feature. "It was there when the last twins hatched, I swear."
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Umbradae wasn't accustomed to being so far from his bondmate, particularly not without telling her he was leaving, but The Mother told him all was well and he trusted her. The large, black dragon clutched a tiny egg to his chest. The infant inside was restless, its voice muttering worry and loneliness. Umbradae tried to offer it comfort from his own mind, but he was wracked with uncertainties too.
"It's the right place," said The Mother. She rested a cool, gloved hand on Umbradae's flank. "The Death Court's emissary will arrive soon."
"And I go with them?" asked Umbradae. "Me and the egg?"
"Yes. And it's imperative they find a bond mate for the egg as quickly as possible. The stasis I put it under won't last for long."
"Bond for the egg," Umbradae nodded. "Got it. And what do I do?"
"Be free, my young friend." The Mother stroked his side. "And help seal our alliance. This is important, you should be proud."
Important? Umbradae was rarely given important tasks. He basked under the attention, puffing out his chest and arching his neck. "You hear that?" he whispered to the egg. "We're important."
A shape flashed into view above them. Umbradae craned his head to watch a strange dragon descend toward them.
Kutoth stretched his mind out across the Refugium, brushing thoughts and emotions with the intrusive stabs he'd tried to leave in his past. The guilt he sought remained hidden from him. He wasn't certain what that meant. Had the culprit already left? Or were they so heinous not to feel guilt at all? The buzz of anxious onlookers and a grief-stricken mother might have clouded anything more subtle. Kutoth snapped his telepathy shut, panting and doubled over.
:: I'm sorry.:: The gem dragon's mind voice was cool and soothing against the cacophony of the Refugium.
"It's hardly your fault." Kutoth straightened. "Have there been any departures in the last hour?"
"None," said Ixu, with a sharp shake of his head. "We've got the station locked down."
Not from adept teleporters Kutoth thought with a weary sigh.
"Keep looking," he said. "Have the newly bonded pairs escorted to their quarters until we have this sorted out. Offer them my apologies. I'll send Dierath to soothe tempers."
"And you, boss?"
Kutoth stared at the outcrop, where not only Suka and Kaba stood, but several of the other luung residents. Even without his telepathy he could sense the brewing storm.
"I need to speak to the luungs. Can you have someone ask Shy to remain at the Refugium for a few days? I believe he mentioned the possibility of finding a cure for Giojsen's bacteria. If they choose not to stay here, I want to do all in my power to help their species continue."
Ixu grimaced but nodded. "I'll keep you posted."
Kutoth unwound his gem dragon from his shoulders and settled him across Yu's back. :: Take the children to my quarters. They don't need to be privy to this. ::
Ixu shouted orders and Kutoth began the long ascent to the luungs.